File a "provisional patent" application on the US Patent and Trademark website. Ideas are not patentable. A new and non-obvious way to USE that idea may be extremely valuable. To justify filing a patent application (including a provisional) you need to have conceived a potentially patentable invention of some kind. Your documents must include adequate details the first time you file. Otherwise, the application is worthless and you will have to start over, perhaps losing your advantage because of the delay in discovering your error. If you believe the invention may be valuable, you should speak with a patent attorney to determine what you should do next. Some inventions are more valuable if they are kept secret rather than patented. :Note that premature public use or disclosure of your invention may be fatal to getting patent protection in most countries (other than the U.S., which has a one-year grace period for filing).
As a general rule, if you do not know how to file one, it is better to hire a patent attorney to help you file. Patent examiners are trained to be very strict on certain things, which could mean an improperly filed patent would be worthless.
The basic steps in filing a patent are covered in other related answers.
Patenting an idea alone is not possible under United States law. Once you turn an idea into a new product or invention, you can apply for a patent through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. A patent offers broad protection against other parties making, using or selling the patented invention without compensation to the patent owner.
Types of PatentsNot all patents are created equal. Different types of inventions require different types of patents. You can file for a utility patent, a design patent or a plant patent depending on what invention you want to patent.
A utility patent protects the rights of an individual who invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, article of manufacture, or compositions of matters. It also protects the rights of an individual who improves an existing product or process. This is the most widely used type of patent. It lasts for 20 years from the day the inventor applied for the patent.
A design patents is available to anyone who invents a new, original, and ornamental design that can be applied to an article of manufacture. Design patents last for 14 years from the day the patent is approved and granted.
A plant patent is granted to anyone who invents or discovers and reproduces a new species of plant. The new plant species must be clearly different from commonly known species.
Before officially applying for a patent, do a patent search with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to see if similar patents have been issued. It will help you avoid infringing on other patents. Applying for PatentsOnce you decide to file for a patent, you must apply for one in person at U.S. Patent and Trademark Office or hire a patent attorney to do it in your behalf. Your application must include a full description of your invention, drawn images and how the invention is defined in legal terms. Your invention receives patent pending status after you file your application.
Be prepared to pay multiple fees with your application. You must pay a filing fee, search fee, examination fee and issue fee for a design patent, plus a publication fee if it is a utility patent.
If the company decides to file for a patent, you will receive a cash award.
It depends on the patent. Depending on what product or item you have a patent for will determine what company you need to file the patent with. If you dont know the company's name then you can just look it up on the internet to find out.
Before you file for a patent, you'll need to contact a patent attorney. The cost for attorney time alone is usually around $1500. You'll need drawings of your idea, which run $100 - $150 per page, and a fee for the actual patent itself.
Yes, you can sell your idea without a patent. A patent is a right granted by the government to exclude others from making, using, selling, offering for sale or importing your invention. You do not need to have a patent in order to sell your idea. The purchaser may desire to file a patent. You may also decide to protect your idea using trade secret laws (like the recipe for Coca Cola). Please be sure to use a non-disclosure agreement when discussing your idea with a potential purchaser. You do not want them hearing your idea and then exploiting it on their own.
Getting a patent is a great idea to protect your idea. You can apply for a patent online www.InventionHome.com.
If you want to get a patent for your cool invention, you need to file a design, utility or plant patent application to the government. You can also file this application electronically.
It's called a "patent" :)
Yes, but as soon as the patent is granted, you can no longer use the idea.
There are many companies out there that will tell you how to get a patent, however, most are scams. You can apply for a patent with the US Patent Office at www.uspto.gov.
You can patent anything that IS a change or a new idea. For example, if your berries have a new flavor or origin, than they can be patented. A patent is an ownership mark for an idea. If you want to patent a brand name, then you get into corporate marketing.
There are many ways one can find out about information on obtaining a patent on an idea. This includes obtaining the help of a patent attorney or asking in forums.
The U.S. has a 'working provision' patent law that requires you to exploit a patent or forfeit the patent. Second, patents are really expensive.
Apply for a patent on the idea. You can check with a patent attorney, or Google "Patents", which should steer you in the right direction.